Wednesday, July 1, 2009

letter from a contract worker - Antonio Jacinto

Few poems have been written as raw and truthfully as this,well according to me,but this here is an African masterpiece..

I wanted to write you a lettermy love,a letter that would tellof this desireto see youof this fearof losing youof this more than benevolence that i feelof this indefiable ill that pursues meof this yearning to which i live in total surrender

I wanted to write you a lettermy love,a letter of intimate secretsa letter of memories of youof youof your lips as red as hennaof your hair as black as mudof your eyes as sweet as honeyof your breasts as hard as wild orangeof your lynx* gaitand of your caressessuch that i can find no better hereI wanted to write you a lettermy love,that would recall the days in our hauntsour nights lost in the long grassthat would recall the shade falling on us from the plumtreesthe moon filtering the endless palm treesthat would recall the madnessof our passionand the bitternessof our separation...

I wanted to write you a lettermy love,that you would read without sighingthat you would hide from papa Bombothat you would withhold from mama Kiezathat you would reread without the coldnessof forgettinga letter which in all Kilombono other would stand comparison...

I wanted to write you a lettermy love,a letter that would be brought to you by the passing winda letter that the cashews and coffee treesthe hyenas and buffaloesthe alligators and grayling*could understandso that if the wind should lose it on the waythe beasts and plantswith pity of our sharp sufferingfrom song to songlament to lamentgabble to gabblewould bring you pure and hotthe burning wordsthe sorrowful words of the letter i wanted to write you my love...